Hand Hygiene(HH) for Environment staff

1. Hand Hygiene(HH)for Environment staff

2. Hand Hygiene History • Hand hygiene is not a new concept even the cave men lived near the water to clean themselves • So why now in this day and age are we still having to remind people to attend to their hand hygiene

3. We are taught to wash our hands as toddlers…

4. Hand Hygiene • Hand hygiene is generally poorly adhered to across the board from all levels of Health Care Workers • Most staff underestimate the time and frequency they spend on hand hygiene • Sing “happy birthday” twice

5. What is it??????? Hand hygiene • using soap and water to wash and then dry hands thoroughly • using a waterless hand rub system( eg. Alcohol based hand rub)

6. Hand Hygiene Reasons why we don’t wash our hands • Takes too long • Skin irritation • Sinks poorly located • Too busy • I only touched “it” a little bit • I forgot • I meant too/I thought I did • I will next time • I didn’t know you were watching

7. What we did to help • Alcohol impregnated wipes/detergent cleaning wipes • Alcoholic Based hand rubs(ABHR) • Compatible moisturiser

8. When should I do HH at work?

9. Also remember to clean your hands…. • When your hands are dirty • Before you start your shift • Before and after glove use • After touching the patients environment • After using the bathroom • Before,during and after preparing food • After sneezing,blowing nose & coughing • After handling/patting animals

10. When to use what… Use ABHR: • If your hands look clean Use soap and water: • If your hands are visibly dirty

11. Hand Hygiene Why to use ABHR’s • Reduces bacterial count on hands • More effective for standard hand wash • Reduces adverse outcomes and cost associated with HCAI’s • Requires less time • Less irritating • Readily accessible/portable

12. Hand Hygiene Hand Rubs Soap & Water Hand Washing Post HH Post HH Pre HH Pre HH

13. How to do it…

14. Hand Hygiene “Clean Between” • Use the alcohol impregnated wipes/detergent wipes on all shared equipment after each patient use • All areas/equipment still require routine and terminal cleaning as documented in your cleaning schedules

15. Hand Hygiene Compatible Moisturiser Used minimum of 3 times per shift • At coffee break • At meal breaks • at home time • All HCW’s to use(including boys) • Use hospital supplied compatible moisturiser

16. Hand Hygiene • We must remember that if we don’t clean our hands we could get sick or we could make someone else sick

17. Hand Hygiene • One of the most common ways we catch a cold is by rubbing our eyes or nose after touching something or someone that has the germ rhinovirus on it • Stay away from work if you are ill

18. Hand Hygiene • Another really disgusting germ is called rotavirus and it causes gastro illness • This nasty germ can live on dry, hard surfaces like table tops or toys for up to 20 minutes • Stay away from work until you are 48 hours free of all symptoms

19. Hand Hygiene • We are all role models, at all times • Lead by example • Our patients deserve to see you clean your hands “Healthcare workers in a room with senior staff member or peer who DID NOT wash hands were significantly less likely to wash their own hands” it read EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES FEB 2003

20. Hand Hygiene Gloves • Gloves should be used as an adjunct to, not a substitute for hand hygiene. • HH is to be used before & after all glove use. • Disposable gloves are to be used once only and not disinfected or washed. • Only wear gloves for the job at hand • Where possible use disposable work gloves • Heavy duty gloves are single person allocation

21. Hand Hygiene • Limit jewellery worn to work • Jewellery should not inhibit your HH practices • Don’t bite your fingernails • Nails-keep short • No chipped polish • No acrylic nails in clinical areas

22. Hand Hygiene Hand health influenced by • Season • Location (climate) • Age • Home habits • Glove usage Your skin is your 1st line of defence against infections-look after it

23. Hand Hygiene Hand health • Cover cuts, scratches, rashes • Use a waterproof dressing/not band-aids in clinical areas • Clean you wounds • Don’t pick sores • Don’t touch open wounds • Wear gloves the garden • Wear gloves for the dishes

24. Hand Hygiene

25. Hand Hygiene • At work we are in close contact with each other • We share equipment • Make sure you to have clean hands before you start • Make sure you have clean hands when you finish

26. Hand Hygiene SUSTAINABILITY ? Is up to you..

27. Hand Hygiene Empowerment • Remind food handlers • Remind health care workers • Remind the kids/family • Remind yourself • Remind colleagues • It’s not a secret we want the word out there

28. Hand Hygiene

29. Hand Hygiene Take home message • Look after your skin • We are all role models • Use moisturiser • Wear gloves • Don’t bite your nails • Make it an effective wash • Stay healthy, be happy

30. Hand Hygiene 1. Pittet D,Boyce J.Hand Hygiene and patient care: pursuing the Semmelweiss legacy. The Lancet Infectious Diseases 2001:April:9-20 2. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. “Guideline for Hand Hygiene in health care settings: recommendations of the Healthcare Infection Control practices Advisory Committee and the HICPAC/SHEA/APIA/IDSA Hand Hygiene Task force”, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 2002:51(No.RR-16) 3. Victorian Quality Council Hand Hygiene Project. “A practical model for implementing hand hygiene in hospitals”. Austin Health Coordinating centre, First edition 2004. 4. History of infection Control and its Contributions to the Development and Success of Brain Tumour Operations. Miller et al, 2005. Medscape article 5.Larsen EL.APIC Guideline Committee.APIC guideline for handwashing and hand antisepsis in health care settings. Am J Infect control 1995:23:251-69 6. HHA, 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene, Advanced draft, version 4,2008